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A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier will be back on the court Sunday to renew their chase of a coveted WNBA championship when training camps open and last year’s rookie sensation Caitlin Clark begins Year 2 in the league.
Stewart and the New York Liberty will be chasing a second straight WNBA title, something Wilson and the Aces did in 2022 and 2023.
There has been a lot of player movement in the offseason with the Aces adding Jewell Loyd in a three-team trade that sent Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles. Las Vegas still has a solid core with Wilson, Loyd, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young.
New York added Natasha Cloud to bolster its roster with guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton sidelined for a few months after having knee surgery.
No team made more changes this offseason then the Fever, who are led by Clark. Indiana added Sophie Cunningham through a trade and signed free agents DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, Sydney Colson, and Brianna Turner. Add that to Clark and Aliyah Boston and there’s a lot of excitement in Indiana.
There’s a new energy in Dallas as well with No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers joining the team. The Wings are hoping that the former UConn star can bolster a roster that features Arike Ogunbowale.
Golden State will be the first new WNBA team to take the court since the Atlanta Dream began play in 2008.
New leadership on WNBA sidelines
Eight of the 13 teams will have new head coaches this season.
Atlanta and Los Angeles turned to college coaches Karl Smesko and Lynne Roberts, respectively. Indiana brought back former coach and player Stephanie White to lead the Fever. White had been in charge of the Connecticut Sun, who replaced her with former Belgium national team coach Rachid Meziane.
The Sky, Dallas and Washington turned to former WNBA assistant coaches Tyler Marsh, Chris Koclanes and Sydney Johnson, respectively. Golden State also brought in a former assistant coach, Natalie Nakase, to be the first head coach in the expansion franchise’s history.
Familiar faces in new places
Indiana is not the only team to make major moves with several franchises adding marquee names to rosters during the offseason via free agency.
Atlanta picked up former Mercury All-Star Brittney Griner, who had spent her entire WNBA career playing in Arizona since being drafted No. 1 in 2013 by Phoenix. The Dream also added former Connecticut standout Brionna Jones.
Phoenix was active in bolstering its roster, trading for Alyssa Thomas and signing Satou Sabally.
The Sun lost their entire starting five from last season and brought back former UConn All-American Tina Charles as well as Diamond DeShields.
Former champs Taurasi and Delle Donne not in camp
Two players that won’t be in camp this year are Diana Taurasi and Elena Delle Donne.
Both announced their retirements this offseason. Taurasi had played her entire 20-year career in Phoenix, leading the Mercury to three WNBA championships. Delle Donne played in both Chicago and Washington, helping the Mystics win the franchise’s lone title in 2019.
Johnson will be the Sky’s player development coach after holding that job at UAB.
The upside is that everything about her rookie season suggests Reese is ready for this. Her career arc is still very much on its way up, and as for the pressure, there has never been a question about her being strong enough to handle it.
The team drafted four players and has added three undrafted players this week.
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